Hi! So I'm pretty new around here. Just received my tesol certs and have began applying for jobs in China. I have read all the advice on recruiters and good and bad deals, signs for scams etc so I guess I'm not entirely ignorant.

Anyway! I've seen that Shane English School is a pretty middle of the road employer, not disastrous, not excellent and a fairly safe bet for the first time teaching in China, but I was wondering if any of you have had dealings with the Shane English School in Hefei, or have been to Hefei at all. I guess I'm just looking for some advice about job locations and that sort of thing. I hope someone can point me in the right direction. Until then I guess I'll be looking around, and researching.

I spent my first 6 months in China in Hefei.
I have no desire to ever return.

Hefei is polluted, backwards, and the food is terrible.
For the first 3 months I could not see the sun. The sky was just a brownish grey.
Almost every woman that talked to me in public was harassed by the local men.
I had a medical emergency, and the doctors at the "best" hospital in Hefei tried to refuse to help me because I am a foreigner.
The food is swimming in oil and salt.

I am sure that there are some people that love the place, but I am obviously not one of them.

I spent my first 6 months in China in Hefei.
I have no desire to ever return.

Hefei is polluted, backwards, and the food is terrible.
For the first 3 months I could not see the sun. The sky was just a brownish grey.
Almost every woman that talked to me in public was harassed by the local men.
I had a medical emergency, and the doctors at the "best" hospital in Hefei tried to refuse to help me because I am a foreigner.
The food is swimming in oil and salt.

I am sure that there are some people that love the place, but I am obviously not one of them.

Cool. Thanks for your input. These are the kind of things I want to know.

Hi! So I'm pretty new around here. Just received my tesol certs and have began applying for jobs in China. I have read all the advice on recruiters and good and bad deals, signs for scams etc so I guess I'm not entirely ignorant.

Anyway! I've seen that Shane English School is a pretty middle of the road employer, not disastrous, not excellent and a fairly safe bet for the first time teaching in China, but I was wondering if any of you have had dealings with the Shane English School in Hefei, or have been to Hefei at all. I guess I'm just looking for some advice about job locations and that sort of thing. I hope someone can point me in the right direction. Until then I guess I'll be looking around, and researching.

Thanks!

I'm guessing it is a while since Roger was there - when I first visited, 7 yrs ago it was pretty backward. In recent years, due to having some top politicians from the area there has been huge investment. It really has been transformed. They are building a huge international airport, to replace the tiny shed of old - there are big plans for the place, they now have a decent bar / cafe area (1912, modeled on the same name area of Nanjing) and modern shopping.

My first job in China was in a red neck place called Fengyang, 2 hours away - sometimes we went there for R+R, or else to Nanjing. I have been back many times since, and it is a little better every time. I hope it continues to improve, I now own an apartment there!!!

Hi! So I'm pretty new around here. Just received my tesol certs and have began applying for jobs in China. I have read all the advice on recruiters and good and bad deals, signs for scams etc so I guess I'm not entirely ignorant.

Anyway! I've seen that Shane English School is a pretty middle of the road employer, not disastrous, not excellent and a fairly safe bet for the first time teaching in China, but I was wondering if any of you have had dealings with the Shane English School in Hefei, or have been to Hefei at all. I guess I'm just looking for some advice about job locations and that sort of thing. I hope someone can point me in the right direction. Until then I guess I'll be looking around, and researching.

Thanks!

I'm guessing it is a while since Roger was there - when I first visited, 7 yrs ago it was pretty backward. In recent years, due to having some top politicians from the area there has been huge investment. It really has been transformed. They are building a huge international airport, to replace the tiny shed of old - there are big plans for the place, they now have a decent bar / cafe area (1912, modeled on the same name area of Nanjing) and modern shopping.

My first job in China was in a red neck place called Fengyang, 2 hours away - sometimes we went there for R+R, or else to Nanjing. I have been back many times since, and it is a little better every time. I hope it continues to improve, I now own an apartment there!!!

Thanks for your input fred. How do you find the air quality? I feel like this is somewhat of a taboo question, but I'd appreciate your thoughts.

It really has been transformed. They are building a huge international airport, to replace the tiny shed of old - there are big plans for the place, they now have a decent bar / cafe area

remember when people here talk about development please don't think in any kind of western style - think more on massive concrete, repetitive and soulless rather than attractive, cultured and fascinating

In short a lot of China is being taken over by massively drab grey complexes full of near identical shops,restaurants and businesses and wont display any kind of real link with Chinese tradition. In fact you'll probably find as much Chinese tradition in a western china-town than a Chinese city such as Hefei!!!!!

As for cafes and bars - well if they don't include ex-pat cafes and bars - then these places really are not normally an attractive haunt for foreigners, even those who speak good Chinese!!!!!

Just be careful how you interpret advice here - places can look awful good in words - but in reality.............

And air-pollution - with massive increases in traffic and coal powered electricity consumption, in most places, it gets worse by the year - I don't think there's hardly any exceptions to this rule!!!!

Fair enough. But, by "backward", I was referring to the ignorance and racism of the people, not the airport or other Chinese symbols of "development".

The reason I go there often is because the wife has many friends there. I talk to Chinese friends in Hefei, all the time. Never once has anyone been harassed for speaking to me in public.

'Almost every woman that talked to me in public was harassed by the local men. '

I simply do not believe this statement.

Everyone has different experiences, we can agree to disagree.

On the weekends I would go to various parks in Hefei and sit and people watch.
Women, often teachers, would ask if they could sit with me and practice their English. Chinese men would stop, stare , and sometimes say some very vulgar things.

I had a Chinese girlfriend in Hefei, and she went out in public with me only twice.
The comments and crude remarks from the locals forced her to decide that we should only meet in private.

One possible answer to our different experiences could be a difference in ages. My observation is that comments are more often directed at younger women.
If your wife and Chinese friends are older , then the locals might be less likely to say anything.

As for cafes and bars - well if they don't include ex-pat cafes and bars - then these places really are not normally an attractive haunt for foreigners, even those who speak good Chinese!!!!!

Well I frequent a couple of Chinese style cafes, the kind that can be found in any Chinese city including Hefei, that serve tea and some pretty good cheesecake and the only difference I've seen so far between these places and Starbucks is that the Chinese cafes are cheaper. Any expats not attracted by that are free to spend more for the same product elsewhere and then they can come on the forum and complain how living in China is "so expensive." Besides food, drink, and a comfortable place to sit what would you want to make these cafes a more "attractive haunt" for foreigners? An Italian violin troupe playing requests at your table? Hey dad, here's an idea, if you want cafes like those in your hometown then go home and enjoy them there !

I appreciate the input that everyone is giving, good and bad. I generally think that if I can find the middle ground between what everyone is saying then I think I'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

For those who care, I am going to have an interview with the shane english school in Hefei and see where that takes me, so wish me luck! Hopefully I can gain some of my own experience to help quell rumours and help others who are in similar positions as I am soon!

I appreciate the input that everyone is giving, good and bad. I generally think that if I can find the middle ground between what everyone is saying then I think I'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

For those who care, I am going to have an interview with the shane english school in Hefei and see where that takes me, so wish me luck! Hopefully I can gain some of my own experience to help quell rumours and help others who are in similar positions as I am soon!